Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government has demanded that the Centre accord international status to Raipur airport and operate international flights from here.

"The state government has requested the Centre to accord international status to the airport here as it has facilities, which are at par with international standards," an official was quoted saying in a press note.

The release also said that about 200 acres of land was being provided to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) for extension of the Swami Vivekananda Airport here, so that 400-seater Boeings can also be operated, the release said.
The government has formulated a working plan for step-wise development of airstrips at Jagdalpur, Korba, Bilaspur, Raigarh, Bhilai and Jashpur where Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has not given permission to start aviation services due to lack of infrastructure, it said.

The state, in collaboration with AAI and the Army, is developing a `III-C` airport at Chakarbhata in Bialspur district for the operation of 70-80-seater flights in the first phase, it added.